Articles from Vol. 22, No. 2, April

For 100 years, the Government Finance Officers Association has been a leader in promoting sound accounting and financial reporting practices by state and local governments. In fact, it was this very same objective that led to the association's creation...

from the executive directorCentennial celebrations offer a chance to look back as well as to consider the future in light of past achievements. The 100th anniversary of the founding of the organization that became the Government Finance Officers Association...

"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here of enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand."-...

In November 1903, the U.S. Census Bureau hosted 26 state and local government finance officials in the parlors of the Ebbitt House in Washington, D.C. The stated purpose of this meeting was "to discuss and perfect methods of securing, so far as practicable,...

The economic well being of our states and localities depends on the continuing construction and maintenance of basic infrastructure such as roads, schools, housing, public utilities, and transportation systems. GFOA has always led the effort to preserve...

Economic Development It's Not Just for Big Ticket Items Anymore Economic Development for Small Communities: A Handbook for Economic Development Practitioners and Community Leaders Robert W. Shively, CEcD National Center for Small Communities www.smallcommunities.org/ncsc...

Those who have worked in government finance over the past 25 years have experienced significant changes in their careers, organizations, and communities, ranging from cultural to technological. The next 25 years and beyond will likely make the recent...

How Emerging Managers Will Alter the Government Finance Leadership ParadigmHow will the leadership styles of the new generation alter the management landscape?Josh has been with the General Services Administration, Inc. for the past eight years. A finance...

In 1938, the Municipal Finance Officers Association moved its headquarters to 1313 E. 60th Street in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The Encyclopedia of Chicago' records the following entry about this building:"... the Public Administration Building,...

Based on the norm of annual budgets and a current estimate of about 87,500 governmental units in the U.S. alone (in 1930 there were more than 175,000 reported governmental units), a conservative 100-year estimate is that there have been more than 9 million...

In public finance, the adage "the more things stay the same, the more they seem to change" holds true. Protecting public funds and managing them wisely has always been the primary directive of the finance officer. No other responsibility in municipal...

In light of recent private-sector developments, GFOA's Executive Board approved a revised and expanded recommended practice on audit committees.In 1997, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) formally approved for the first time a recommended...

Organizational change is an important component of successful implementation of a performance management system.Local governments across the country are working to strengthen their budget processes by integrating the principles of performance management....

Throughout GFOA's history, its members have shaped the evolution of public employee retirement and benefits plans in North America, reflecting the stakeholders' need for professional guidance, and the membership's desire to respond to state and federal...

For local governments, the President's budget proposes cuts to important programs.President Bush submitted to Congress his $2.77 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2007 in early February. The President's proposal would increase overall spending...

We opened our second century in 2006 solidly in the physical world of hardwire Internet and computer chips, new accounting models, and expanded responsibility for less tangible concepts like funded pension plans and other postretirement benefits. The...

A CENTURY OF PROGRESSDelivered September 26, 1906, bySamuelB. Williams, City Comptroller, Rochester, New YorkTo the Officers and Members of the National Association of Comptrollers and Accounting Officers:GENTLEMEN:I was highly honored at the preliminary...

Lessons from a CEO MayorPrudence - putting the city's long-term interests ahead of short-term political gain.Let's face it. Most mayors didn't major in finance in college, so when one who did - and who went on to a successful career in Wall Street and...

What are Their Roles? How Do I Sell My Bonds?The fundamental relationship between the underwriter and issuer is one of competing objectives and as public servants it is our responsibility to ensure our costs of debt repayment are the most favorable.Who...